TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice presidential hopeful number three, Mahfud MD, stressed the need to scrutinize the track record of potential leaders, rather than solely their vision, mission, and promises. Moreover, he assessed that political programs are typically designed by a team of experts, not by the candidates themselves.

“They make good promises, but sometimes they don’t understand them. So, it must be aligned with their track record,” Mahfud said at a gathering event at the Abu Syamsuddin Islamic Boarding School in Surabaya on Feb. 8.

In his speech, the former coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs explained that the track records of would-be leaders’ lives and careers mirror their coherence with their promises, vision, and mission.

He cited an example that a candidate who promises to live a frugal lifedata-style could not be deemed credible if he possesses enormous wealth.

Mahfud also highlighted the importance of aligning political promises with actual actions. “If a prospective leader vows to protect human rights, how can he do that if he has issues [on human rights]? They say they want to uphold the law, but they often break the law. Check their background, their life, and their deeds,” he said.

The former constitutional court justice also called on the public to exercise their right to vote on February 14, 2024. For him, voting is a way of caring for the country’s future. He reminded all that casting a ballot must be done based on conscience, not pressure or intimidation.

The 2024 presidential election is slated to be held on Wednesday, February 14. The General Election Commission (KPU) scheduled a three-day cooling-off period from February 11 to 13.

ADINDA JASMINE PRASETYO

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